ISABEL AND THE INVISIBLE WORLD

A special present reveals a world we can’t ordinarily see.

For her sixth birthday, Isabel would like to be able to see invisible things. She seems to have in mind things like her friend Genevieve’s imaginary pet, but in this engaging story, her parents come up with a real surprise. After a week of waiting, a party, and a cake, she opens her big present, a prism. Refracted through the prism, ordinary sunlight spreads out to show all the colors of a rainbow, and the invisible becomes visible. This simple but effective introduction to portions of the electromagnetic spectrum is physicist Lightman’s second science-inspired book for children. As in Ada and the Galaxies (2022), co-written by Olga Pastuchiv and illustrated by Susanna Chapman, he emphasizes the wonders that science can reveal, nicely ending his narrative with Isabel wondering about other invisible things. Isabel’s eager anticipation is realistic and familiar. Even when she receives her gift, it’s concealed within a series of boxes. (Adults can admire the parallels with scientific discovery.) Isabel’s scientist mother expands a bit on prisms, describing radio waves as another color of light we can’t see. Backmatter gives a more detailed explanation. Kaulitzki’s warm digital illustrations make effective use of light and color. Isabel’s family appears to be multiracial; Isabel and her father are brown-skinned, while her mother and brother are lighter-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Invisibly and effectively instructive.